Nifty News

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Wednesday, October 29, 2008

First off, a few of you commented and/or took time to email me about my leg. Thank you for your concern! Today, my leg is totally fine - no pain, no redness, or swelling. I have really nasty varicose veins in my left leg and sometimes my leg just hurts. Ever since I developed a blood clot (and doctors learned that I have a clotting condition) a couple years ago, I just tend to get a little scared if I have pain in my leg. Thankfully, after soaking in the tub and lying down for a good night's sleep, it was fine and dandy this morning. I'll definitely remember to wear my sexy compression stockings the next time I travel though. :D

So, my retreat is winding down. I leave early tomorrow morning. I'm so glad I came though. I've met some really wonderful, talented, and encouraging folks here. I've learned some tips and gotten a lot of helpful information from the workshops. I think we've all had a good time.

My agent made it back here to the retreat this evening and gave us an update on her husband. Although the bleeding in his brain looks a bit worse, doctors reassured her that it was normal and they'll continue to closely monitor him. And thankfully, his memory has returned. As he recovers, they'll have to do some tests to determine if there are underlying problems that caused him to fall to begin with. If you're so inclined, I know that Janet and Loch would appreciate your prayers.

And here's a little story for you. Yesterday, Joe called me and said, "I have to tell you about my night."

"What happened?" I inquired.

"I think I had one of your typical nights."

"Uh oh. What happened," I repeated.

"Well, the computer wasn't working and I couldn't figure out how to get online. Savannah needed to do her homework on the computer so I called my sister to see if she could help me out. While I was on the phone with my sister, I heard Clay and Jackson fighting in their room. When I walked back there, Clay was throwing toys at Jackson and Jackson was tackling Clay."

"Ugh," I let out a sympathetic groan.

Joe went on, "I broke up their fight and told Jackson to get in the shower while I filled the bathtub for Clay."

"I went back to the computer and continued to talk to my sister while trying to get online. Meanwhile, Clay pooped in the bathtub. I had to stop again and go drain the tub and clean it out."

Why poop in the toilet when you can poop right there in the tub? Although I sympathized with Joe, I was also secretly glad I wasn't home to deal with that.

42 comments:

I went away for a weekend wedding and left my 2 year old AND 6 month old with my husband. I armed him with bottles, pumped milk, general schedule, etc. He'd never spent that much time with them and without me. I tried to prepare him.

I left early in the morning and called him after lunch to see how things were going. He said, "These guys are time-consuming!" Subsequent comments through our chats over the weekend were things like, "These guys are a LOT of work!!" and in response to me asking if he took a nap, "No way! I didn't want to waste my precious quiet time while they were sleeping."

Wow, Joe had better appreciate you. It sounds like everyone was a bit off their rockers there! It actually sounds a lot like my husband's parenting though... go off and do something and then tell a 3 year old and/or 5 year old to do something then return to what you're doing. Somehow, it never happens, and he doesn't understand why ;)

Oh -- and while bleeding on the brain sounds freaky, I hope that it all turns out well for him in the end... that he slipped on an unseen banana or something and that the bleeding resolves quickly. Thoughts and prayers are definitely with them.

Good Morning. First let me say my question is not in any way meant to criticize you, I'm just naturally a curious person. That said...how do you do it? How do you travel alone with 6 kids at home? Does Joe take off work and stay home? Do you have help come in? Do you just toss the kids in the crawl space?

Oh man. I love when husbands have to live our lives for awhile. I know things have finally clicked for my husband when he mentions that he doesn't know how I do it everyday. That's all the thanks I need, is to know he appreciates the job I do (without pay, of course). I have a new bumper sticker that reads "Motherhood is a full time job". Glad your leg is better.

You have to love it when the men are left in charge! They're really nothing more than large kids to begin with! Being away really makes you appreciate home, doesn't it? Glad to hear that your leg is ok and your agent's husband is on the mend.

I hope that he shows his appreciation by being extra helpful in the future...Or well at least for the next week. That's usually about as long as my husband's "appreciation" lasts when I've been gone for a few days and he's had to do the day to day stuff that he normally gets to avoid.

Our kids were 7 and 9 when hubby had foot surgery and was home for almost two weeks. At the time I worked a few hours out of the house a few days of the week, and was active in their school.

After watching me get them ready and out the door in the morning (normally hubby left for work before they were even awake), get things done around the house and remember who had to be where which day, and at what time, he asked me how I did it all.

I had the same eye opening experience later when I traveled with him when he worked out of town. The long hours, tiredness from traveling and time changes, etc., take all the glamor out of what sounds like an exciting locale.

It is good for all of us to walk in another's shoes from time to time.

I suppose now you'll get home and somehow manage to make 6 wonderful and astounding Halloween costumes in a Day! LOL While me, with only one grown son and 4 grandchildren will be running around madly trying to get their "spooktackular" dinner ready for them to eat before they go trick or treating tomorrow night. I'm already overwhelmed and all I've done is gone to the grocery store, (with 2 in tow - what was I thinking) and spent endless hours on the internet looking for spooking (yet nutricious sp? and fulfilling) recipes. Gotta love Nanas!

Dawn, glad to hear that your leg is doing well and that you are already aware of blood clots and their idiot complications. You mentioned you have clotting condition; are you positive for factor 5 leiden?

Bleeding in the brain is normal!? Yikes! Hope he makes a full recovery.

And sometimes our husband's really need those experiences, don't they! How kind of you to sympathize with him and tell him, "sorry." I can't help but laugh when mine tells me about his toils alone with the children. And then he gets annoyed. I'm just glad he gets a little piece of my heaven once in a while. ;)

Joe is a keeper! That is awesome. I think it hands them some humility and perspective. I only have two, and I went away to Boston a couple of weeks ago for 5 days. They survived, but I noticed nary a fruit was eaten whilst I was away. Also, I have never seen such a mix of relief and gratitude in my husband's eyes as when I got off the plane.

This is great that Joe will be able to relate to you a bit more. You totally deserve this break!

That has happened to me a few times, when I say how my older two get along well and then within minutes, they run past screaming and trying to kill each other. *sigh* Kids love to make liars out of you, eh??

Sounds like Brooklyn and Lexi were behaving nicely at least:) Unless you just forgot or didn't have time to say what they had done! LOL

It's always funny for me to hear hubby's take on spending the day with all 4 kids. He still doesn't know how I do it, and the whole house is relieved beyond measure when Momma gets home. LOL. Oh, question for your Sunday post: Do you take the kids trick or treating? and Do we get to see pics of the kiddos all dressed up? :)

I have a nasty varicose vein in my left leg, a result from calf tear AND pregnancy. And now, in pregnancy 2 I have to wear a compression stocking all the time. I was very glad to learn that this time around I can pick a color better suited to my flesh than the white from last time, and with open toes so I can wear flip flops!The little things in life...

Its always good for them to have a little taste of how it is when your not around! Im sure he'll be very happy when you get back home. Hey Dawn, what are your kids being for halloween? And how do you afford it with 6 kids, do your kids where hand me downs for the years before?

DARN!!! My husband always goes on about how good the kids were when I was gone and how easy it was to get them out the door... Some days when we're both here I let *him* deal with the morning rush and don't you know they are quicker for him and the morning is filled with a lot less "Don't forget your lunch box" and "Stop arguing with your sister and eat your breakfast" and "Stop playing around and brush your teeth!" And still, I have NO IDEA how he does it... it's almost as if they can sense that I have an 8:00 class to get to and they can mess up my day if they play around....I hope Joe showers you with lots and lots of "appreciation" when you get home!

By now, you are home and resting with your feet up on an ottoman, the two oldest are taking the younger four out to Trick or Treat, and Joe....dear sweet man, is massaging your neck, while you sip some wonderful iced tea.

"Ding dong" goes the door bell, and off Joe goes to pass out the candy while he "oohs and ahhs" at all of the darling costumes (like we usually do!)